


Cigarettes in the Theatre

by decapiteight



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Chance Meetings, F/F, Punk AU, Punk band, this is probably a bit sloppy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 04:59:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6456928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/decapiteight/pseuds/decapiteight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chloe's playing at a gig like any other, that is, until she spots a blonde bun in the crowd, and some familiar red lips.</p><p>Don't take much to sell her, really.</p><p>Punk Band AU! Oneshot for my friend Michelle, just for kicks!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cigarettes in the Theatre

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thegadgetfish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegadgetfish/gifts).



> FUN ONESHOT FOR MY FRIEND MICHELLE (and just for funs sake, but fun isnt a person.)
> 
> I'm sorry if this is sloppier than the Dana/Max fic, but I hope it's still enjoyable at least!

Usually Chloe zones out a bit during gigs, and this time wouldn'tve been any different. The four of them are fading out of a cover song of Twenty One Pilots or Panic At The Disco, Chloe's not really sure, because her hands are too busy almost slipping up on the bass.

There's a familiar face in the crowd, hazel eyes with some green in them, the same tight bun from an insecure girl at Blackwell, walking down the halls with hunched shoulders and a kind voice ringing out.

Her lipstick is dark red and killer, and the bags under her eyes haven't faded one bit.

She's still so drop dead gorgeous that Chloe's heart stopped on her two beats ago, and it's not until their singer begins to drag her off-stage that she realizes she can -- no, she _has to_ go after her. There isn't much room left for her band to protest, not when she's running off the moment she's got the bass guitar put safely in place, shouting an excuse over her shoulder while her eyes are scouring the crowd.

It's hardly difficult to find pretty girls in Seattle. What _is_ hard is, apparently, finding a 5'5 -- no, God, she's shorter than Max -- 5'3 girl in what's shaping up to become a moshpit by the time the next band's done playing.

Thankfully the bun made it easier to spot her target, and a quick poke on the shoulder proved enough to get her attention.

 

"Kate! You uh, remember me, it's Chloe. Blackwell?"

 

She worries, momentarily, that she's got the wrong person. Until Kate's face goes from puppy eyed confusion to sudden recognition, a bright grin barely visible before she's grabbed in a hug.

 

"Chloe! I thought it was you but I -- ah, I didn't mean to be a stranger, it would just have been a bit awkward if it wasn't you, you know?"

 

They walk a few steps out of the crowd, Chloe waving her hand dismissively. "Chill, chill, it's all good. I'm not gonna lie, seeing you from up on the stage had me pretty stoked! I didn't think this was your kinda scene, to be honest."

Kate shrugs, a relaxed smile on her face. "I like it. A lot of things change over the years, and all, right?" she asks, but it isn't a question.

Chloe just smiles back, dopey and pleased. "Right. What else's changed then? Must be some big stuff to be draggin' the shy Christian girl from Blackhell out to the indie punk scene out in Seattle."

 

She doesn't expect her heart to seize in her chest when Kate gives her this look, and drops the first bomb. "Well, I'm not straight, for starters."

 

Chloe licks her lips, pretending that her mouth didn't just dry up like the fucking Sahara in a drought.

 

Instead of being all kinds of un-smooth about this, she just leans against the wall, eyebrows propped up with some surprise. "You know, usually people start with the small stuff when things change, and if that's your version of 'small stuff', I'm not sure what's coming my way now."

Kate giggles, it's bubbly and bright and Chloe can only think to write songs about it, if she was that cheesy. Before this, she'd have called it embarrassing, but what's a little frightening is that she's considering it.

  
"No, no, there is more. I just figured I'd start out with what would get your attention." and there it goes, she's snapped out of her thoughts again, looking down at a newfound, long-lost friend, who is very clearly dropping a hint at her.

 

"Smooth one, Marsh."

 

She _smirks,_ and it's a surprise in and of itself.

 

"I try. But, as I was saying, there is more, if you'd care to hear it."

 

"When would I not care to hear out a beautiful girl." Chloe says, playing it smooth as sandpaper in a bagpipe there. Seems to be a running theme for her today.

  
"Well... The biggest change is probably that my father divorced my mom two years back now. It's been an eye-opener that... Not everything is how you want it. And even though it may be what you **think** you want, a family brought together by the word of God, settled-- it's not." there's a sudden pause to her words, and Chloe feels her heart churning in the harshness of it.

"It's not good if there's always fights and yelling, just because you're married. You're not in love anymore, you're not a whole family... Devotion is always good, but --" and then there's another stop, those hazel eyes looking right into her soul, some impenetrable gaze of knowing more than a 20-something year old woman should.

"It doesn't matter when you use it to break those around you, I suppose. We're doing better without the hatespeech, really." she says it with a simple joy to her tone, but there's a backhanded cruelty to her words, even with that picture-perfect smile on her face. It makes her heart do a backflip, seeing Kate Marsh having learned to be a real _bitch_ to those who deserve it.

  
(Though a small part of her makes a mental note to stay off her hit-list.)

  
Chloe doesn't know what possesses her after hearing the speech, but she grabs Kate by the shoulders and pulls her up in a rib-crushing hug. She never got to know her all that well, only had a couple of meetings when they hung out with Max, mostly knew what she was told by text or word of mouth.

  
But Chloe did know she didn't have the best upbringing, and it made her so fiercely proud that she'd-- fuck, what do you even say when it's someone from half a life ago you're talking to; someone you never properly knew.

  
"Fuck Kate, I'm so proud of you." and then she reels back on her words, a hand going to the back of her head, catching herself.

"Shit, I mean, I don't wanna curse around you if you're not cool with it, I just kinda forgot, and --"

 

And then Kate laughs, bright and bubbly, waving her hand. "It's fine. Just because I don't doesn't mean you don't get to, Chloe."

The relief that spills over her almost washes out the butterflies in her stomach, but not quite.

"Okay then, well, not to be a killjoy if you're likin' the show but -- what do you say to getting outta here?"

 

Kate arches a brow at her, an ever so slight thing, but nods.

"I'd love that, if you're paying."

 

Chloe only laughs, bright and raspy, wraps an arm around Kate's back while they shuffle their way out of the moshpit taking shape behind them.

 

"Only for you, babe."

 

Kate doesn't comment on the nickname, still just has that little smile playing on her lips, inching closer to her as they go.

\--

Chloe reaches into her pocket for a cigarette, and there is a slightly judgmental look in Kate's eyes, like she wants to chastise her. In the end she stays quiet though, even as the smoke slinks up and into the air lazily.

"Bad habits die hard," Chloe says, not-quite crossing the line to apologetic, and Kate nods back at her.

"I can tell." she replies, simply, but instead of toying nervously with her necklace the way freshly-turned 18 Kate would, her hands are relaxed in the pockets of her thick, green jacket.

 

She meets Chloe's eyes, and all that runs through her head is she doesn't think she's wanted to kiss someone this badly since Rachel.

 

"So..." she starts, but it doesn't really become anything. She doesn't wanna be a fucking creep and gush all about how she's gay as hell and that Kate looks fucking drop dead gorgeous, she can't just talk about the weather, either.

 

"You wanna know why I'm in Seattle, right?" she asks, and Chloe takes the opportunity without hesitation.

 

"Well, yeah, you're not really who I was expecting to see here -- maybe Victoria coming out of Wayne's Coffee because she's too pretentious for Starbucks, but not you at a seedy bar slash punk scene, yannow?"

  
"I told you, a lot changed." is the simple reply, but after Chloe's had another drag from her cigarette, she follows up with "I'm mostly here for college these days, though. My roommate is fond of the punk scene, so I go out with them there from time to time. It's been fun enough that I kind of began to go myself, as you can see."

Her tone is bright, but theres a piece that doesn't fit yet in Chloe's mind.

 

"They?" she questions, looking down at the girl under her arm.

 

"Nonbinary." is the simple reply, but after seeing Chloe's confused look, she's given an explanation.

 

"It means they're not a guy or a girl, is all."

 

"Oh." she thinks, for a moment. "Sounds like a sweet deal."

Kate chuckles, and Chloe tries hard not to think of another cheesy comparison to it, failing within no time at all.

 

"Glad you're understanding, at least."

 

"Hey, you know me. Not about to kick up a fuss if there's no issue."

 

"I don't remember that.." Kate says from under her, and she jabs her a little with an elbow.

 

"You've become a real smartass over the years, Marsh."

 

"Thank you, Price."

 

  
They laugh the rest of the way, and while Chloe has no particular idea as to where they're going, she's more than content to follow wherever she's taken.

  
\--

The two of you end up on a bench in a school that's long since closed, leaned back while Kate talks about life, about stars, about her studies and her roomie who had to go to the hospital for eating too many pickles; once.

And it's all good fun, until Chloe blurts out "You're really pretty."

She's mentally kicking herself for the comment, but she can't will herself to take it back, because it's the fucking truth and she doesn't wanna lie.

 

Kate stays quiet for a little, not like she's shocked, but like she's thinking.

Then, the bigger surprise of the night, is the hand on Chloe's knee. "You're not taken, are you, Chloe?" she asks, her voice inquisitive but not soft, and her head tells her it sounds like a demand.

Which might be getting her hotter under the collar than it ought to, but she's damned anyway, it's only fuel on the fire at this point.

 

"Haven't been in a while now. Why, wanna kiss my pretty face stupid?"

 

There's that smile again, and Kate Marsh, lit up like some god under the stars, says to her. "If you don't mind."

 

"Babe, I've been waiting half a lifetime, don't hold up."

 

"You never told me you were in your forties!"

 

"Oh my God, stop being a wise ass and kiss me alr -- "

 

There's no noise to it, except for when Kate pulls back with that smirk plastered all across her face, saying "You don't have to tell me twice."

 

Chloe doesn't need more to tell it's gonna be a good night. One hand on Kate's side, she leans back in, and they both smile into it this time.


End file.
